Senators are pushing the Department of Homeland Security to commit to more security funding for nonprofits after the recent spate of threats at Jewish Community Centers.
Eighteen Democrats and GOP Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.) — a member leadership — on Friday sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly asking to fund the nonprofit security grant program at $50 million to help “meet these increased threats.”
“It is unacceptable that in a country founded on principles of religious freedom that these heinous acts are occurring,” they wrote in the letter, which was spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.). “It is simply unacceptable to not act.”
{mosads}The senators add that Kelly should back fully funding the grant program as part of President Trump’s upcoming budget “in order to show solidarity and to help protect those affected by these egregious threats and attacks.”
The senators list 11 recent threats or attacks in their letter, including one in Blunt’s home state, but there have been nearly 150 threats against Jewish institutions so far this year, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
“The recent increase in religiously motivated threats and attacks have shown the importance of providing institutions with the tools to meet these threats,” the senators added.
Friday’s letter comes after all 100 senators signed a letter this week demanding action in response to the wave of anti-Semitic bomb threats.
The Trump administration is expected to release its budget on Thursday.
In addition to Blunt and Gillibrand, Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Bob Casey Jr. (Pa.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Al Franken (Minn.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Bob Menendez (N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Dick Durbin (Ill.) signed the letter.